Iowa State basketball has its NCAA Tournament opponent as Pitt wins First Four matchup
When comparing the resumes, accomplishments and ratings for Iowa State's two possible NCAA Tournament opponents, it was hard to reach a conclusion other than Pitt, rather than Mississippi State, would be the more advantageous matchup for the Cyclones.
Now the world will find out.
The Panthers, ranked nearly 30 spots behind the Bulldogs by KenPom.com and 20 behind by the NET, escaped Dayton, Ohio, and the First Four with a 60-59 victory Tuesday night against Mississippi State in a battle of No. 11 seeds.
Coach Jeff Capel's team will now head back east, where No. 6 Iowa State awaits in Greensboro, N.C., in the first found of the NCAA Tournament's Midwest Region.
Pittsburgh went ahead with 10 seconds remaining on a jumper from Jamarius Burton, and then survived a wide-open 3 and a tap-back attempt on the following possession to survive and advance.
The Panthers shot 38.9 percent from the floor and 47.4 percent from 3-point range. Nelly Cummings had 15 points to lead Pitt in a game that featured nine ties and 21 lead changes.
Iowa State and Pittsburgh will tip off at 2:10 p.m. Friday (truTV).
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Get to know the Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team
The Panthers opened postseason play 21-10 overall and 14-6 in the ACC. They opened the ACC Tournament with a win over Georgia Tech and lost by 27 to Duke the following day.
They are ranked 77th in KenPom and 67th in the NET. In their lone game against Big 12 competition this season, the Panthers lost to West Virginia, 81-56, on Nov. 11.
Pitt boasts a top-25 offense, but its defense is ranked outside the top-140.
Pittsburgh men's basketball player to watch
Iowa State fans may not be very well acquainted with Pittsburgh's co-leading scorer, but the Cyclone coaching staff certainly is.
Blake Hinson joined the Cyclones in the summer of 2020, sat out the ensuing season with a non-COVID-19 medical issue, then left the program weeks before the start of the 2021-22 campaign.
“I met with all of our players individually Thursday to discuss their roles heading into the season,” Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger said in a statement released by the school in October 2021. “On Friday, Blake informed me he was quitting the team. While it is disappointing, it is important to understand roles and I believe the rest of our team is ready for the upcoming season."
Hinson landed at Pitt, where he has become one of the ACC's best players. He's averaging 15.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. The 6-foot-7, 235-pound forward is shooting 43 percent from the floor and 38.4 percent from 3-point range.
Hinson was selected as a second-team all-ACC performer by the league's coaches and media.
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Key matchup in Iowa State vs. Pittsburgh NCAA Tournament game
Beyond the analytics pinning Mississippi State as the superior team in the First Four matchup, Iowa State fans may have been pulling for Pitt because the Panthers offer up a profile the Cyclones have been successful against.
Iowa State will put its nationally top-10 defense up against any opponent, and the Cyclones will certainly believe they'll be able to mitigate the Panthers' strong offense.
Where Iowa State has struggled is against defense-first teams that force a lot of turnovers. The Panthers rank 141st nationally in defensive efficiency while turning opponents over on 16.7 percent of their possessions, which ranks 265th nationally.
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The Panthers have size and length that could cause Iowa State trouble, and they've got strong guard play as well. In terms of style of play and team strengths, though, the Cyclones have a favorable draw here.
It remains to be seen, however, if Iowa State looks like the team that handed top-10 Baylor back-to-back losses this month or the team that dropped four in a row and eight of 10 prior to those victories.
Travis Hines covers Iowa State University sports for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune. Contact him at thines@amestrib.com or (515) 284-8000. Follow him at @TravisHines21.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State basketball to open NCAA Tournament vs. Pitt
